News & Events

Core News March 2019

Knowing how to negotiate is an essential life skill

Feb, 2019

“The ability to negotiate well, to find ways to cooperate which recognise and promote the broad public interest, is essential to our future. We will not survive without being able to see beyond narrow and partisan positions. Our future depends on being competent negotiators. There is no more important set of skills to teach the next generation.”

How well do you perform in making Scotland a better place to live?

Dec, 2018

"One of the privileges of my role is that I am invited to do things which give me an insight into aspects of life of which I might not otherwise be aware. Recently, I have been working with the Scottish Leaders Forum Strategic Leadership Group as it seeks to help the public sector and other ­leaders meet the challenges of Brexit and ­other events."

Festive Core News

Dec, 2018

A View from Frankfurt

Nov, 2018

"My last blog reflected on an excellent mediation conference in Frankfurt on the Oder where the strength which comes from working together was clear. I started this present blog on the day that the EU agreed the terms of the UK’s departure from the organisation that has..."

Mediation and Cups of Tea

Nov, 2018

Mediator Engagement in Politics – and other things we care about

Oct, 2018

"At a recent excellent conference hosted by Professor Ulla Glaesser at Viadrina University in Frankfurt (Oder), one of the workshop sessions focussed on the extent to which mediators can or should disclose or express their views when engaged in politically-related mediation work – or more generally."

A Universal Declaration of Interdependance is needed

Oct, 2018

"Not long ago, I read a review of Yuval Noah Harari’s new book, 21 Lessons for the 21st Century. The message contained in it was so stark that I found myself temporarily paralysed with fear about the future."

Brexit will put up barriers the EU was made to pull down

Oct, 2018

"I don't understand how you British could give up so easily. We've been trying for years to get into the EU. People lost their lives. You call it a prison. You have no understanding of what it is like for us. We know about prisons. Your Brexit vote was demoralising and played into the hands of anti-Europeans in my country."

Autumn Core News

Oct, 2018

Letting Go

Sep, 2018

"'The last great act of a courageous leader is to let go', I suggested to the CEO as he pondered whether this was in fact a good time to step down.... He was holding on for his own reasons, unsure what the future would hold for him, uncertain about what he would do and where he could turn. He needed a prompt, permission, to accept responsibility.."

Diaries shed personal and professional light on Law Lord

Sep, 2018

Earlier this year, John Sturrock commented on the first of Lord Hope’s Diaries. He now reflects on the latest volume, which covers Lord Hope’s time as Lord President and is a fascinating account of a rapidly changing era.

Guerrilla Gardening – and a Plea for a Universal Declaration of Interdependence

Aug, 2018

“Some ideas take seed... so, here is another seed. What might we do to reassert our sense of identity as part of the whole? How might might we express our need for, and dependence on, each other, as an antidote to isolation, silos and alienation?”

Time to make more of resolution option

Aug, 2018

The appointment of the new Cabinet Secretary for Justice is a good opportunity to ask some questions: What kind of dispute resolution system do we wish to encourage in contemporary Scotland? How should public money and resources be deployed to achieve the best results?...

Paddling against the Current: Embodied Conflict

Jul, 2018

"If we are to add real value and take this field to where it needs to go, we simply must keep paddling, persevering, trying to acquire greater mastery of the difficult stuff, and overcoming our fear of social failure or appearance of technical incompetence."

To Understand Trump, Study his Mother's Trauma

Jul, 2018

"President Trump’s visit has provoked much comment on the behaviour and attitudes demonstrated by this most unusual man. Not so much attention has been paid to what lies beneath. Just what makes a man act and speak as he does? An answer may lie in his Scottish roots." Originally published in The Times.

John's Blog

Testimonials

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Party to a mediation

Training

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Senior person in government

Training

The group absolutely loved the workshop. It was presented in the right tone, assertive yet respectfully and calmly nurturing. The conversations that I have had with them truly reflect an 11 out of 10 type of feedback.

a senior figure in sport

Training

Thank you for the energy, intellect and enthusiasm you shared with us this week. Rarely do you get to be on a course with a facilitator who has such a broad range....

senior government employee

Flagship Mediation Course

I have found the course to be a positive and inspiring experience, which has challenged my professional practices and caused me to consider what is important. It should be compulsory!

Senior Lawyer

Mediation

With the excellent record I've had with Core and mediation as a process, I will continue to consider this form of ADR in all the claims I handle!

Insurance Claims Specialist

Flagship Mediation Course

I thought the course was superb - one of the most fulfilling (albeit difficult) experiences I have ever had….it has made me think very differently about what I have been doing for the last 20...

Senior Legal Practitioner

Mediation

Thank you enormously for your contribution - it has saved vast expense, energy and doubtless nervous exhaustion for all. A great advert for mediation in general, and Core in particular.

senior partner in a law firm after a succesful mediation

Flagship Mediation Course

In 20 years of attending educational and skills training courses, I am happy to say that this was the most informative, useful and enjoyable I have yet been to.

Partner, Law Firm

Training

My colleagues both work on very high profile projects which require them to deal with a good deal of conflict and I consider your course to be the best there is in helping anyone to...